"The Hell Pirates will cross the Red Line tonight."
As the sky outside the ship grew darker, a communications officer soon arrived with the report.
Upon hearing this, Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp felt their hearts grow heavy.
Under the cover of darkness, the outcome of this battle would undoubtedly become even more unpredictable.
At night, the vast ocean appeared like an abyss, nearly invisible to the naked eye. This would make marine warfare extremely difficult for all participants, whether attacking, defending, or pursuing.
"The news was released by the World News Agency, not through traditional newspaper distribution. They likely used Den Den Mushi to inform media outlets across the seas... There's no time left. As expected, this was Oboro's work," Tsuru said calmly, then looked at Sengoku. "Announcing the time and location minimizes outside interference while sending a clear signal to the Four Emperors and other forces. Now that we know... I suspect Kaido and the others have also received word."
She paused, studying the view outside the window. "What's the situation in the waters beyond our blockade?"
"Countless vessels... Beyond the various parties coveting the God Slayer, there are also numerous newspaper ships, and some are simply spectators seeking entertainment. At least hundreds of them... This makes it extremely difficult for us to clear the surrounding area, and those bastards can use these irrelevant ships for temporary concealment," Sengoku rubbed his temple with his fingers. "We can't use coercive force against civilians..."
"Taking advantage of the chaos... His goal has been achieved," Tsuru observed, glancing at the darkening horizon. "Don't worry about that. War is imminent, there's no choice, no time to concern ourselves with anything else. The core of this incident is the God Slayer! In other words, as long as we capture him... no matter how many tricks he employs, they'll prove useless."
However, Tsuru contemplated one more troubling possibility and left it unspoken.
She had a vague feeling that the God Slayer had calculated everything... Did that include her own premonitions and reactions?
In other words, had he anticipated her analysis of his plan?
And had the God Slayer anticipated... her expectations of his anticipation?
If so, what she had witnessed might not represent the entire scenario the Hell Pirates were about to unfold, but perhaps only a small fragment of a much larger design.
Tonight, beneath the star-filled sky, an oppressive sense of tension and unnatural calm permeated the sea.
On the Hell Pirates' flagship, the crew, who had previously concealed their appearance beneath black clothing, had shed their disguises, revealing ferocious forms as each member sharpened weapons with eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
Several figures, led by Oboro, stood on the second-floor deck. Captain Oboro leaned against the railing, his arms resting on the polished wood as he gazed down at the eager faces below.
Dolan stood beside him, holding a torch whose flames illuminated half of Oboro's scarred features.
"Tonight... isn't just their test, it's everyone's test," Oboro began, referring to Yingge, Lucci, and Kaka.
"The name of the Hell Pirates will resound throughout the world. Each of you... everyone present will become legends who shaped history."
"Fight with all your might... annihilate those Marines who claim to represent justice, and destroy all who stand in our way. Survive, and join me in the New World as true members of the Hell Pirates! The stage has been set for you... Only the truly strong are worthy of sailing beneath the flag that flies above me."
"As partners, I will grant you even more dazzling and powerful abilities..."
With these words, Oboro spread his arms wide, offering an embrace toward all the assembled pirates.
His voice, though soothing, thrummed with irresistible power.
The system's enhancement cards had usage limits for individual targets, each card could only function once per person. So... Oboro was deliberately deceiving them, though the crew remained unaware of this fundamental truth.
Enhanced power was nothing more than an illusory reward that would accompany their deaths.
"YEAH!"
"For our King!"
"Kill all those Marines!"
Below, the crowd erupted in passionate shouts, each voice raised as if injected with liquid courage.
"..."
Rob Lucci glanced at Oboro, forced to acknowledge that the God Slayer possessed genuine charisma... like a performance artist who understood exactly how to manipulate emotions.
These pirates, their minds bewitched by his words, had completely lost sight of their actual situation.
They were courting their own destruction.
"Let's go!" Dolan shouted immediately.
"Charge!"
The three vessels of the Hell Pirates set sail instantly, their sails unfurling as they cut through the waves toward the Red Line.
They were approaching the battlefield.
The darkness limited normal vision, but for Oboro, this posed no obstacle.
Soon, he controlled the atmospheric currents, stabilizing the hull and adjusting their speed as they merged effortlessly into the turbulent convergence where four seas met. He steadied the vessels, preventing them from being overwhelmed by the surging torrents that could collapse ships and kill everyone aboard.
Smoothly, they followed the "ascending cascade" of Reverse Mountain, riding the supernatural currents that carried them skyward before sending massive whitecaps crashing onto the sea as they landed safely in the Grand Line.
Such an effortless crossing of Reverse Mountain and entry into the Grand Line filled the pirates with exhilaration.
After all, countless pirate crews had perished simply attempting to navigate Reverse Mountain's treacherous waters.
However, despite their excitement, they maintained tactical silence.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
This side of the ocean stretched in boundless darkness and gloom, with no sign of marine forces.
The enemy wasn't here.
Without Oboro's explicit orders, the three pirate ships sailed straight ahead, soon spotting a faint lighthouse on the distant horizon. Though dim, it remained remarkably clear against the dark night, like a beacon from destiny itself, welcoming all pirates arriving in the Grand Line and guiding their passage.
Twin Capes.
Just beyond the base of the Red Line.
There stood a veteran of the Roger Pirates, Doctor Crocus.
But Oboro had no interest in making contact with him now.
As their vessels continued forward, the turning point of destiny had arrived.
At this "critical" moment, the lighthouse at Twin Capes served as both warning and signal, the first glimmer of light on the vast ocean.
But once the pirate ships moved further from shore and the lighthouse's glow faded into the distance, something else appeared at the far edge of the inky black sea.
One by one, distant lights began flickering to life like fireflies in the darkness.
Of course, these weren't actual fireflies, but the illumination from marine warships.
The dark sea instantly blazed with brilliance as dense clusters of lights materialized across the horizon.
Such overwhelming numbers...
Seeing those countless points of light, even Dolan and the other core members couldn't help but change expression.
There were far too many!
So many that they couldn't be counted at a glance!
Had the Marine truly deployed such massive forces to deal with their emerging pirate organization?
Beneath the brim of his hat, Oboro smiled with cold satisfaction.
"Everyone... begin the performance. Dye the sea tonight a brilliant crimson... let the world know your names."
A frigid wind suddenly swept across the water. Oboro extended his arms, raised his head, and immersed himself in the atmosphere as he delivered the final command before battle.
"KILL!"
"CHARGE!"
The three ships advanced fearlessly toward the constellation of lights ahead.
The war had begun!